The Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and Reds have announced their Super Rugby teams for this weekend’s clashes.
The Western Force play the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Melbourne Rebels play the Crusaders in Melbourne.
The Reds play the Cell C Sharks in Durban.
Western Force:
The Western Force have selected an unchanged matchday squad to tackle the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.
The Force will run out the identical 23-man line-up that smashed the Melbourne Rebels 32-7 in Perth last week.
It is the first time the Force has named the same squad in consecutive weeks since their Round 15 win over the Highlanders last year.
Wing Luke Morahan is in line to play his 50th Super Rugby match, after joining the Force from the Reds this season.
The express-paced outside back – who forms a back three with Wallabies wing Nick Cummins and former Highlanders back, Jayden Hayward – crossed for his side’s second of four tries in the opening 27 minutes against the Rebels.
Matt Hodgson, who led the side out for his 100th Super Rugby cap last weekend, will again captain the side, packing down in the backrow alongside in-form eightman Ben McCalman and flank Angus Cottrell, who was a tryscorer last week.
Western Force head coach Michael Foley said it’s important for his side to make another early statement against the Highlanders.
“Our focus was to start the match strongly last weekend and it was pleasing to see the team do exactly that.
“Our second half execution wasn’t as precise.
“This week it’s important for us to back up with another strong start and look to improve on our execution into the second half,” Foley added.
Force: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Junior Rasolea, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Nick Cummins, 10 Sias Ebersohn, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson (captain), 6 Angus Cottrell, 5 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Kieran Longbottom, 2 Nathan Charles, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Heath Tessmann, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Ollie Hoskins, 19 Adam Coleman ,20 Brynard Stander, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Zack Holmes, 23 Marcel Brache.
Date: Saturday 15 March
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT, 14:35 AWST)
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Ben O’Keefe (New Zealand)
TMO: Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
Melbourne Rebels:
Rebels coach Tony McGahan has made several changes to his team ahead of the Round Five Super Rugby encounter with Crusaders in Melbourne on Friday.
After a forced late withdrawal last week, the Rebels’ Rookie of the Year in 2013 Tom English returns to the left wing, with Lachlan Mitchell named on the right wing and last week’s try scorer Telusa Veainu providing outside back cover from the replacement bench.
McGahan believed English’s return was a real positive for the franchise.
“Tom English is really important to us, and we saw that during the trial games and also against the Cheetahs,” he said.
“His carrying ability gets us over the gain line, he is a great talker and has a great defensive mindset, and to have him back on the edge allows him to show off all of those qualities.”
Paul Alo-Emile and Max Lahiff drop to the reserves, replaced in the front row by Toby Smith and Laurie Weeks, while Scott Fuglistaller returns to the side after missing the trip west.
“With the demands placed on props, I want to keep things moving and will continue to swap those players throughout the season,” McGahan explained.
“We’re lucky enough that we have a good stable of props there, and that they will all get time.
“Scott has had a huge workload over the pre-season and through the games, so far him to have a bit of a re-charge before having a good go at it now has been terrific. Scott brings a real edge to our play in terms of physicality, but he also brings a real mental edge to the group and helps provide Scott Higginbotham with some extra leadership on the field.”
Second row forward Luke Jones and Bryce Hegarty are rewarded for strong cameos off the bench in Perth, replacing Cadeyrn Neville and Angus Roberts respectively.
“Both came on and held their own on the weekend. Luke has been in terrific form throughout the trials and Super Rugby; he’s had a huge workload, playing almost 80 minutes for all of those matches, so we gave him a bit of a break last week and we can bring him back into the starting group. Bryce needed the opportunity to stay off and watch some footy off the bench, and to be able to transfer what he saw into his performance when he came on the field; we’re looking forward to him starting for us this weekend.”
Rebels: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Lachlan Mitchell, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (Captain), 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith
Replacements: 16 Shota Horie, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Colby Fainga’a, 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Angus Roberts, 23 Telusa Veainu.
Date: Friday 14 March
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Kick-off: 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Melbourne Time, 08:40 GMT, 21:40 NZ Time)
Referee: James Leckie (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Lees (Australia), Ian Smith (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
Reds:
The Reds have recalled James Slipper and Saia Fainga’a to the starting line-up for their clash with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Loosehead prop Slipper and hooker Fainga’a both reclaim their starting berths, from Ben Daley and James Hanson respectively, after filling replacement roles on the bench against the Cheetahs last week.
In the only other change, Lachie Turner returns to the team at left wing, after missing last weekend’s clash due to a knee injury. He replaces Dom Shipperley who drops to the bench.
Reds head coach Richard Graham said the changes were a sign of the depth within the Reds’ squad, and the fact that he could rotate in key positions is a positive.
“Last weekend’s match against the Cheetahs was a test of the depth in our squad.
“We made some changes to the match-day 23 last week and secured a bonus-point win at home in front of our supporters.
“It is a good sign moving forward. Depth is key to achieving success and we’re confident any member of our squad can do the job.
“The Sharks will be a tough opponent but it’s certainly a challenge the group are looking forward to confronting.
“They’re very physical and direct, not unlike the Brumbies under Jake White’s direction,” Graham said.
The Reds and Sharks have met 19 times in Super Rugby, with the men from Brisbane winning 11 of the encounters.
The two teams have met nine times in Durban, with the Sharks leading the ledger 5-4.
The Reds’ last win over the Sharks in Durban was in 2004.
Reds: 15 Aidan Toua, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Lachie Turner, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 James Horwill (Captain), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 Saia Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O’Donoghue, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Ben Tapuai, 23 Dom Shipperley.
Date: Saturday 15 March
Venue: Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, 01:05 Sunday AEST)
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Jaco van Heerden (South Africa), Stefan Breytenbach (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)